Skinny Shrimp Alfredo Pasta Bake
An unbelievably cheesy, creamy lightened-up pasta bake that you can easily make ahead of time. Just pop it right in the oven before serving!
Seafood alfredo was a huge favorite of mine growing up. It was the only kind of pasta I would eat, no matter which Italian restaurant we were in. All I needed was that “white pasta” and those warm bread rolls at the center of the table, and I was the happiest kid ever.
But since I don’t have that fast metabolism I had as a kid, this skinny version fits in perfectly. Best of all, taste is not compromised at all in this lightened-up version. TRUST.
It’s just as creamy and cheesy as the original, and you can even make it ahead of time. All you have to do is pop it right in the oven and dinner will be on the table in just 15 minutes. Boom.
Skinny Shrimp Alfredo Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 8 ounces whole wheat penne pasta
- 1 14.5-ounce can petite diced tomatoes, drained
- ½ cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
For the alfredo sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 6-ounce can 2% evaporated milk
- 1 ounce light cream cheese
- ¼ cup chicken broth, or more, to taste
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- To make the alfredo sauce, melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in cream cheese and chicken broth until smooth, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add more chicken broth as needed until desired consistency is reached.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.
- Place shrimp onto the prepared baking sheet. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste, and gently toss to combine. Place into oven and roast just until pink, firm and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8×8 baking dish with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, combine shrimp, pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, red pepper flakes and alfredo sauce. Add pasta mixture to prepared baking dish and top with Parmesan.
- Place into oven and bake until golden brown and cheese has melted, about 10 minutes.
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
Could I make this with already cooked shrimp? I never buy uncooked shrimp. Takes too much to do all that with a baby lol
You can certainly used cooked shrimp but you run the risk of overcooking the shrimp, resulting in a tough texture.
Maybe if I don’t cook the shrimp first like the directions say, just warm it up in the pasta after?
That should be fine.
I saw this on Pintrest and it looked really good. I made it tonight and it was beyond delicious!!! I loved it!!!! Thanks for sharing.
I just ran the nbers and it is 15 points per serving!! So you can decide if you want to take the hit!!
Do you happen to know how many points this would be on Weight Watchers? I just made it and it totally yummy!!! Thank you for sharing the recipe.
LOVED LOVED LOVED THIS!!! omitted the red pepper flakes, and it was soooo goood!!! My husband and I loved it and the leftovers were just as juicy and good! A lot of times you worry about the consistency when reheating leftovers because pasta tends to soak up the moisture, but it was just as good!!
Made this for myself and my husband. We enjoyed it, but have a few ideas for variations to try next time. First, it was pretty spicy so I’d omit the red pepper flakes or half the amount. Also, there is a generous amount of shrimp here. So, you could half the amount if you want to make it stretch. Or, alternately, double the pasta and sauce if you are feeding a crowd.
This receipe is amazing. I absolutely loved this and so did my family.
Loved this, best recipe I’ve found on pinterest !!
Could Iprepare this theday before cooking it. Refrigerate and bakethe next day?
Tracie, you can certainly try preparing this the night before but I cannot answer this with certainty without further recipe testing. Please use your best judgment for making this ahead of time.
This was fantastic! My kids even loved it! Will definitely make again…I have made quite a few of your recipes, so whenever I see one of your recipes..I always pin it! thanks!
This looks so delicious! I love the idea of reducing the calories without losing the flavor…thanks for sharing!
Do you think I could freeze this and then the and reheat when ready to serve? With an active 11 month old I can only do “batch cooking” on the weekends so everything has to be freezable
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! I recommend using your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
Ummm this is crazy delicious! I want to eat the whole 8×8 pan! 🙂 This is my first but definitely won’t be the last recipe from your site. Thank you!
This was a huge hit with even the pickiest of eaters! The heat was just right for those that love it, but subtle enough to appease those who dont, while still complementing all the other elements. It’s simple, yet sooo delicious! This will definitely be made again <3 Thanks so much for sharing!
OMG this was amazing…..my hubby had seconds during dinner…love the heat from the red pepper flake…looking forward to the leftovers…
Hi! This looks good !! Could I use regular milk instead ??
Thanks
Yes, that should be fine.
I’m diabetic and carbs is what I have to count instead of calories. Do you think that unsweetened almond milk would work?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
This is amazing! I’m so lazy that I ordered shrimp pasta after reading this. Now I’m only one step away from cooking this. Haha, Thanks! 😀
this one was yummy too
i love your stuff! ive made a few of your recipes and they have all panned out for our family.
thx:)
This shrimp alfredo bake looks fantastic!
This recipe looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it! 🙂